Push button door handle for automobiles, refrigerators, and the like



p 6 G. v. JAKEWAY 2,761,721

PUSH BUTTON DOOR HANDLE FOR AUTOMOBILES, REFRIGERATORS, AND THE LIKEFiled April 14, 1953 INVENTOR. 62/4/4 [flied/4y United StatesPatent O I'USH BUTTON DOOR HANDLE FOR AUTOMO- BILES, REFRIGERATORS, AND THE LIKEGerald v. lakeway Grand Rapids, Mlcla, asslgnor to Keeler Brass ompany,Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application April 14, 1953,8erlal No. 348,768 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-3363)integral die casting, the push button being also preferably formed as adie casting.

Second, to provide such a push button door handle which can be quicklyand easily applied to a door by the use of a single screw which isconcealed when the door is closed.

Third, to provide a door handle having these advantages in which partsare so formed and arranged that they may be of relatively light weightand at the same time the handle is strong and rigid.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claim.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view of a door handle embodying my inventionmounted upon a door, parts being mainly in section on a linecorresponding to line 1-1 of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on a line corresponding to line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary inverted view.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 represents a door, and 2 a panel thereof.The panel has spaced rear and frontopenings 3 and 4 therein. The panelreinforcing and handle supporting plate 5 is formed as a sheet metalstamping and has a rear opening 6 registering with the rear opening 3 inthe panel and a front opening 7 registering with the opening 4 in thepanel. The front end of the plate 5 terminates at its front end in anangular flange 8 slotted at 9 to receive the attaching screw 10, thejamb of the door being provided with an opening ,11 through which thescrew may be inserted and manipulated. The front edge of the opening 6in the supporting plate is conformed to provide a forwardly facing cam12.

The handle designated generally by the numeral 13 is formed as anintegral die casting and comprises a hollow grip portion 14, a rearshell portion 15 and a front shell portion 16, the inner edges of whichfit against the door panel. At its rear end the handle is provided withan internal enlargement 17 projecting inwardly beyond the shell portion15 to extend through the openings 3 in the panel and the opening 6 inthe supporting plate. This inwardly projecting portion has a forwardlyfacing notch 18 therein, the lower wall 19 of which is inclined orcammed to coact with the cam 12 on the supporting plate. The upper wall20 of the notch 18 supportedly engages the outer side of the panel 2.

At its forward end the handle is provided with an Integral internal andoutwardly facing cupped member 21 having a thickened wall 22 at itsfront side. This thickened wall portion 22 is extended rearwardly intothe bottom at 23 and supports the tubular integrally formed push buttonstem guide 24. The thickened portion of the bottom 23 is provided with athreaded bore 25 to receive the attaching screw 10, this bore beingarranged at an angle such that the screw acts to draw the handleforwardly to bring its cammed portion 19 into camming engagement withthe cam 12 on the supporting plate and the handle is clamped upon thecam.

The push button 26 is also desirably formed as a die casting and isshaped to telescope within the cupped member 21 of the handle and isprovided with a socket 27 in which the push button stem 28 is secured.This socket is aligned with the guide 24 and the guide and socket serveto support the coiled spring 29 which acts to bias the push buttonoutwardly. A stop 30 on the valve stem limits the outward movement ofthe push button and retains the parts in assembled relation. The numeral31 represents an actuated member of the lock or catch 32 shownconventionally.

With the parts thus formed and arranged, they may be economicallyproduced and assembled, the handle being constituted by five parts plusthe screw which is a standard type of screw. The handle may be made invarious designs.

I have illustrated only one design as it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myinvention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a door panel provided with spaced front and rearopenings, of a supporting plate disposed on the inner side of said paneland having openings therein registering with the said front and rearopenings of said panel, there being a rearwardly facing cammed portionat the front edge of said rear opening in said supporting plate, saidsupporting plate having an inwardly offset angularly disposed flange atits front end, a handle comprising an elongated grip portion, anoutwardly facing socket member formed as an integral casting with andmerging into the front end of said grip portion, said handle beingprovided with an integral anchoring portion projecting through said rearopening in said panel and said supporting plate and having a forwardlyfacing cammed notch therein coacting with the cammed edge of saidsupporting plate and with the outer side of said panel, the wall of saidpush button socket member being tapped to receive an attaching screwsupportedly engaged with said flange of said supporting plate, and anattaching screw disposed through and threadingly engaging said tappedhole in said handle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,234,810 Simpson Mar. 11, 1941 2,366,847 Fendring Jan. 9, 19452,560,477 Roethel July 10, 1951 2,605,630 Keeler Aug. 5, 1952 2,641,4959 Leslie et al. June 9, 1953

